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tandardzing Assooaoons (ISA), which was set up m 1926. The cmphasis withm ISA was ngmeenng. ISA's acthWes came to an end m 1942. n 1946, deiegates from 25 countries met m London and deoded to create a new International orgartzabon, of which the object roiid De to faontate the International coordnation and umficabon ot industnal standards". The new organization, ISO, pfnoally began operaoons on 23 February 1947.

Vhat 'International standardiiation' mcans

Vhen the large majonty ot Products or scrviccs In a porbaJar business or Industry sector conform to International Standards, a tatę ot mdustry-wide standardizabon can be sald to oasŁ Thts Is achieved through consensus agreements between nabonal lefegabons represenbng ai the economic stakehdders concemed • Suppfcers, users, govemment reguła tors and other mterest jroups, such as ccnstmers. They agree cn spcdficabons and entena to be appbed ccnsistenOy n the dassiflcabon or matenałs, n the manufacturc and suppty ot Products, n tesbng and anałysis, in termmoiogy and in the provts>on ot serwces. In this way, ntemabonai Standards prewde a reference framewock, or a common technological language, between suppliers and the* ustomers • wtnch faaiitatcs trade and the transfer of technology.

How to rccognizc an ISO standard

tn ISO standard can be anything frem a four-page document to one se.eral hundred pageS long and, In the futurę, will ncreasingfy be avalabie in efectromc form. lt cames the ISO logo and the deslgnatłon, "International Standard", tn most cascs, t e pubfashed m A4 format - wtuch e itself one of the ISO standard paper sizes.

rhe big, wide world of ISO standards

Jetween 1947 and the present day, ISO publehed mere than 13 700 International Standards. ISCTs werk programme ranges tom standards for tradbonal actMtles, such as agrtciiture and constmcticn, through mechamcd engmeenng, to medcal levices, to the newest Information technology developments, such as the dgital coding of audo-wsud signals for mutimeda ippOcattons.

3andardoat>on of screw threads heips to keep chalrs, children's bicydes and aireraft together and sefres the repor and natntenance problems caused by a lack cT standardizabon that were coce a major headachc for manufacturers and product zsers. Standards establishing an International consensus on termindogy mefce technology transfer easier and can represent an mportant stage in the advancemcnt of new technologes.

Mthout the standardlzcd dmcnsions of froght contaners, International trade would be siower and morę e>pensrve. Wrthout he standardeabon of tdephcnc and bartong cards, llfo would be morę complłcatcd. A lack of standardzabon may even affoct he quakty of We itself: for the dsatied, for ©camplc, when they arc barred acccss to consumcr Products, putłe transport and juildngs bccausc the dimensions of whcei-chars and entrances are not standardzed.

Standard red symbds prowde danger wamings and Information across lingutsttc ffonbers. Consensus on grades of vanous natenate givc a common reforence for suppaers and dients in business dealings.

tgreement on a suffloent number of vanabons of a product to meet most current appkcabons aflows economies of scalę with rost beneftts for bołh producers and ccnsuners. An example is the standardization of paper sizes.

Standard zabon of performance or safoty recjurements of dverse equipment makes surę that users¹ needs are met whłe mowing mdwduai manufacturers the freedom to design their own solubon on how to meet those needs.

Sandardzed prołoeds allow computers from dfferent vendcr$ to Talk' to each other. Standard red documents speed up the rarttit of goods, or idenbfy senative or dangerous cargoes that may be handed by peopłe speaklng dfferent ianguages.